League looking likely as part of hub at Nga Puna Wai

Canterbury Rugby League (CRL) could have a place to call home at the Nga Puna Wai sports hub as early as 2017.

CRL board member Reon Edwards made a presentation to the Canterbury clubs and interested parties last night to outline the proposal that has been more than a year in the making.

Edwards believes getting a true home for league in Canterbury would be a huge boost for the sport which has not had a suitable base since the earthquakes closed Rugby League Park in 2011.

The Nga Puna Wai option was looking highly likely and rugby league could be played there as early as the 2017 season, he said.

It would boast two sand-based fields which would be separated by an embankment.

Club games would be played there on a weekly basis.

Floodlights and a grandstand are in the plans but may not be in operation in the first season.

The proposal was well advanced and it was hoped CRL would enter into a heads of agree- ment with Christchurch City Council in the coming months once final negotiation points were signed off. City councillors unanimously endorsed plans for the Nga Puna Wai reserve, next to the Canterbury Agricultural Park, back in March.

The sports hub will combine facilities for several sports, including athletics, hockey, tennis and rugby league. Each sport would have its own area with the rugby league fields to be fenced off.

CRL’s board has spent the last 18 months exploring opportunities for a new home. Because Nga Puna Wai is close to Canterbury Park, where junior rugby league is played, the new base would be able to accommodate national age group tournaments.

Edwards said hosting major tournaments in Canterbury has not been an option since the earthquakes. ‘‘There’s a lot of benefits with moving into Nga Puna Wai,’’ he said.

Because of the standard of the Nga Puna Wai facility, if the Canterbury Bulls were a chance to be elevated to a competition like the New South Wales or Queensland Cups, they would have a suitable home ground ready to go.

Although the venue would be highly unlikely to host test matches, Edwards said it would be suitable to host second tier matches like the New Zealand Residents or Junior Kiwis.

The Kiwis could use the facility as a training base if they visited Christchurch.